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KMID : 0608320190260020016
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Physical Therapy Korea
2019 Volume.26 No. 2 p.16 ~ p.23
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Effects of Shoe Heel Height on Walking Velocity and Electromyographic Activities of Lower Extremity Muscles During Short- and Long-Distance Walking in Young Females
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Oh Duck-Won
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Abstract
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Background: High-heeled shoes can change spinal alignment and feet movement, which leads to muscle fatigue and discomfort in lumbopelvic region, legs, and feet while walking.
Objects: This study aimed to identify the effects of different shoe heel heights on the walking velocity and electromyographic (EMG) activities of the lower leg muscles during short- and long-distance walking in young females.
Methods: Fifteen young females were recruited in this study. The experiments were performed with the following two different shoe heel heights: 0 ㎝ and 7 ㎝. All participants underwent an electro- myographic procedure to measure the activities and fatigue levels of the tibialis anterior (TA), medial gastrocnemius (MG), rectus femoris (RF), and hamstring muscles with each heel height during both short- and long-distance walking. The walking velocities were measured using the short-distance (10-m walk) and long-distance (6-min walk) walking tests.
Results: Significant interaction effects were found between heel height and walking distance conditions for the EMG activities and fatigue levels of TA and MG muscles, and walking velocity (p<.05). The walking velocity and activities of the TA, MG, and RF muscles appeared to be significantly different between the 0 ㎝ and 7 ㎝ heel heights during both short- and long-distance walking (p<.05). Significant difference in the fatigue level of the MG muscle were found between the 0 ㎝ and 7 ㎝ heel heights during long-distance walking. In addition, walking velocity and the fatigue level of the MG muscle at the 7 ㎝ heel height revealed significant differences in the comparison of short- and long-distance walking (p<.05).
Conclusion: These findings indicate that higher shoe heel height leads to a decrease in the walking velocity and an increase in the activity and fatigue level of the lower leg muscles, particularly during long-distance walking.
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KEYWORD
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Fatigue, Muscle activity, Shoe-heel height, Walking velocity
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